Remembering Mets History (2012) R.A. Dickey Earns Twentieth Victory of the Season

September 27th, 2012: The 2012 Mets (74-88) finished fourth in Terry Collins second season as manager. The highlight of the year was veteran R.A. Dickey who turned his career around when he developed his forkball into a knuckleball. That season went on to be the first knuckleballer to win a Cy Young Award having his career year.

R.A. Dickey has finished the first half of the season 12-1 with a 2.40 ERA having thrown back to back complete game one hitters as well.

But NL manager Tony LaRussa decided not to give him the start because the erratic knuckleball would be a problem in a game that meant home field advantage in the World Series, as well as a possible cause of injury for catcher Buster Posey. LaRussa was criticized for his decision. 

Dickey went 7-5 with a 3.20 ERA leading up to this game, after back-to-back losses for the first time & only time of the season, he beat the Marlins on September 22nd for his 19th win. 

On this afternoon matinee at Shea 31,506 fans came to the final home game of the season. The main attraction was Dickey as he went for #20 with the Mets hosting the fourth place Pittsburgh Pirates (76-79) with Kevin Correia (11-10) going up against R.A.

In the top of the 1st, Dickey started the game striking out Starling Mate. In the 2nd he had trouble giving up a double to Garrett Jones. then a base hit to Travis Snider. Former Mets catcher Rod Barajas then hit a ground rule double & Jordy Mercer singled bringing in Snider with the second run.

In the bottom of the 2nd, Ike Davis led off with his 31st HR of the season. Davis was the first Mets to hit 30 or more HRs since 2008 (David Wright & Carlos Delgado).

In the top of the 4th, Rod Barajas struck again hitting his 11th HR of the season, a solo shot giving the Pirates a 3-1 lead. It was the 21st HR R.A. allowed on the season.

Quotes- R.A. Dickey: "He doesn't like catching it but he likes hitting it".

In the bottom of the 4th, Daniel Murphy & David Wright led off with base hits. With one out, Scott Hariston singled to right field scoring Murph with the Mets second run.

In the home 5th, Andres Torres led off with a walk. After Dickey struck out Ruben Tejada singled, then Murph singled as well scoring Tejada to tie up the game. 

Next David Wright hit a three run HR to give the Mets a 6-3 lead. It was Wright's 21st HR of the season team leading 91st RBI as well.

Dickey held the lead, retiring the side in order in the top of the 6th. 

In the top of the 7th after a lead off single he retired the next three batters, striking out Josh Harrison for his tenth K of the day. It was the seventh time on the season he had double digits in strike outs.

In the top of the 8th, he started the inning striking out Garrett Jones & Padro Alvarez for his 12th & 13th strike outs of the game, reaching a career high 222 strike outs on the year.

After walking Travis Snider, Terry Collins removed Dickey from the game. The Citi Field crowd gave him a nice ovation as he walked off the field tipping his hat to them in acknowledgement.

Jon Rauch came on getting the third out. In the Top of the 9th, Alex Presley added a two run HR making it a one run 6-5 game.

Bobby Parnell came on to close out the game & save the one run lead. Josh Harrison grounded to short then Jose Tabata flied out to right field ending the game.

Quotes- R.A. Dickey: "I'm not good at celebrating things, but it feels really good, really satisfying. I don't know if I ever imagined how it would be. But I'm really happy the way it is, I feel it in my face. I was 8-13 last year, getting to 20-6 wasn't easy."

R.A. Dickey earned the win his twentieth of the season, becoming the sixth Mets pitcher in franchise history to win twenty games joining: Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Dwight Gooden, David Cone & Frank Viola. 

That season Dickey won the Cy Young Award, becoming the third Met pitcher joining Tom Seaver & Dwight Gooden in franchise history. He went 20-6 with a 2.73 ERA (both second in the NL) leading the league on strike outs (230) innings (233.2) & winning % (.769)